Toronto's Getting A Shelter Dedicated To 2SLGBTQ+ People Focused On Housing Trans Women
The shelter will provide temporary housing for up to 20 2SLGBTQ+ adults.
Toronto skyline.
Toronto is getting its first shelter dedicated to temporarily housing 2SLGBTQ+ adults with an emphasis on helping trans women.
The City of Toronto announced in a press release that the shelter would open in Toronto's west end later this week in collaboration with The 519, a 2SLGBTQ+ service agency, and the Homes First Society, which provides affordable housing and support services.
The shelter will house up to 20 people and give temporary housing to trans women and LGBT+ refugees, where they will receive support to find permanent housing as well as individual and group support, according to a press release.
The city provided $30,000 to The 519 to develop the program's model, as well as investing $121,000 for renovations, and will continue to support the shelter with an annual operating budget.
"The City welcomes the opportunity to provide funding for this critical transitional shelter for 2SLGBTQ+ adults," said Mayor John Tory.
"Working with The 519 and Homes First, the City will move forward in our goal to develop better, more inclusive shelter standards that centre on the safety, wellbeing and affirmation of 2SLGBTQ+ community members. We want everyone to have access to safe indoor shelter and this dedicated site will help to do that while also helping residents secure permanent housing.”
In order to best develop the shelter, 150 people in the community who have experienced homelessness were consulted on the project to help determine what services and programs were necessary, including what 2SLGBTQ+ members' needs were from shelters.
The new shelter hopes to support 2SLGBTQ+ members and combat "violence and discrimination experienced by trans people, particularly women, in the shelter system; and the stigma and barriers faced by refugees when they come to Canada."
The City of Toronto says the shelter is a key step towards "queer strength and resiliency and a response to systemic barriers."
"The needs of LGBTQ+ newcomers are also unique as they often have limited resources to begin anew in Canada and may not able to rely on local cultural communities for support due to their sexual and/or gender identities. This new shelter space will not only provide LGBTQ+ newcomers with critical supports, but also be a welcoming first home in Canada."